@ewertz "Decades ago an old girlfriend and I used to have a rule that applied when driving -- the driver gets to pick the music, and the passenger can wear earphones if they don't like it. It was also compensation for "having" to drive. In my case it was a win-win because having her drive was a lose-lose (at best, :-))."

Seems like an elegant solution, but how did you cope with the "back-seat" driver syndrome?? :-)

Decades ago an old girlfriend and I used to have a rule that applied when driving -- the driver gets to pick the music, and the passenger can wear earphones if they don't like it. It was also compensation for "having" to drive. In my case it was a win-win because having her drive was a lose-lose (at best, :-)).

I use both at the same time, the earplugs as well as the over-ear muffs often when walking through my "neighborhood", or when I sit at my open window, like when I'm soldering. The other 98% of the day it's just the earplugs. BTW, the noise ratings for the plugs and muffs are roughly comparable, if you go by the single NRR ratings.

Active cancellation isn't a total loss against lower frequecies. For instance, my Audio Technica in-ear earphones (with an IC in them from ams, which I probably stumbled on from this or a closely related blog), do an "OK" job of taking out losers' Harley noise and morphing it into the sound of a little girl's pink tyke-bike with a plastic card slapping the spokes. It's strangely appropriate that they map the noise from one with the socialization skills of an 8-year-old into a noise from an actual one.

I've never found any electronic earbuds or electronic earplugs to be comfortable when used with earmuffs at the same time, even with models of the latter that have a fair amount of clearance in the cups. They always end up pushing the in-ear things uncomfortably deep into one's cranial void.

Not sure how old Joseph is, but someday he may want to see his favorite band at a local club while he is too young to get in alone. It is your fatherly duty methinks to escort him there. It makes you cool and it keeps him safe too. When that happens, please bring the monster muffs and take pictures.

In conjunction with unveiling of EE Times’ Silicon 60 list, journalist & Silicon 60 researcher Peter Clarke hosts a conversation on startups in the electronics industry. One of Silicon Valley's great contributions to the world has been the demonstration of how the application of entrepreneurship and venture capital to electronics and semiconductor hardware can create wealth with developments in semiconductors, displays, design automation, MEMS and across the breadth of hardware developments. But in recent years concerns have been raised that traditional venture capital has turned its back on hardware-related startups in favor of software and Internet applications and services. Panelists from incubators join Peter Clarke in debate.